The present invention relates to a cleaning composition and, more particularly, to a composition for use when cleaning objects containing residuals of flammable substances.
Hydrocarbons, particularly refined hydrocarbons are widely used in a large number of industries for heating, fueling, and powering structures and vehicles. With time, the motors, water heaters, boilers and the like become clogged with the oily residue that must be removed for the objects to function properly. Oil refineries and other such industrial installations often have oil spills on their property that need to be cleaned up without the added concern of self-igniting substances. Most often, the oily residue is removed using other flammable materials, thereby creating increasingly dangerous conditions.
Many refineries, aircraft industry and other technologies that handle oil and refined oil products require that the cleaner used on the equipment have no flammable substances. One of the conventional methods is to use a very caustic cleaner. However, such a cleaner may produce undesirable effects on non-metal parts of the equipment, with a potential serious damage to the equipment. There exists, therefore a need for a cleaning composition for cleaning objects that are used, or were cleaned, with flammable materials containing hydrocarbons.
The present invention contemplates provision of a cleaning composition that either totally eliminates the use of alcohol as part of the composition or uses an insignificant amount of alcohol such that the flash point of the resultant composition is relatively high to safely use in a volatile environment.